Opera singer Giusto Ferdinando Tenducci was one of the most famous musicians of 18th-century Britain, adored by composers and a legion of female fans—and he was also a castrato. Helen Berry's history details Tenducci's elopement with his teenaged pupil Dorothea Maunsell, and their subsequent persecution by Dorothea's vindictive father. It was the beginning of a string of scandals for the couple, which would include two children allegedly born of the union, financial ruin, and a unique, highly publicized marriage annulment case.

"Helen Berry has crafted the tantalizing tale of a baroque enigma. A consummate achievement, as light, bright, and sparkling as a glass of prosecco."—Amanda Vickery